In an automated product packaging environment, items of product can be grouped for packaging by operation of a product aggregating apparatus. Such a product aggregating apparatus provides aggregated product—wherein product items are grouped in an expected manner—to any of a variety of product picking devices. In a typical application, a product aggregating apparatus is configured to receive an input including a plurality of product items from one or more conveyors, to deposit each of the product items into an array of receptacles, to pick the product items from the receptacles, and to place the items in a carton, case or other packaging.
A problem results when a rate of in-coming product delivered by the conveyors is sufficiently high, and the array of deposited product items must be expanded to accommodate the delivered product. In such a circumstance, the product picking and placing apparatus must move over considerable distance to pick product and deposit the picked product in packaging. This can result in a bottleneck that can slow the product aggregating apparatus and the entire automated product packaging process.
Accordingly, a need exists for product aggregating apparatus having a design that is better adapted for high speed operation.